A parliamentary hearing into the recent V/Line crisis found its problems could damage Metro Train services, disrupting many city commuters.

The investigation into V/Line was sparked by the VLocity fleet’s failure to activate boom gates and level crossing signals at Dandenong last month.

The investigation found V/Line’s train wheels were also suffering from severe wear and tear and some trains were banned from travelling to the Melbourne CBD.

Metro Trains chief executive Andrew Lezala is doing what he can to prevent wear and tear to the Metro fleet. Picture: Valeriu CampanSource:News Corp Australia

Fairfax Media reports Metro Trains chief executive Andrew Lezala told the parliamentary hearing V/Line’s worn wheels had caused city tracks to dry out, upping the need for more greasing on the tracks due to a concern it could start damaging Metro train wheels.

“What we did find is we had got some drying of grease around the network and so we stepped up our lubrication regime to try and avoid any cascade and so far that has kept everything under control,” he said.

According the Fairfax Media, there has been only one Metro train that has suffered severe wheel damage.

The parliamentary hearing also discovered the V/Line crisis was costing the government millions every week.

When V/Line trains were first pulled from tracks mid last month, regional commuters were given free travel for 16 days, costing more than $4 million.

The 200 coaches that are now replacing those trains are costing Victoria $300,000 a day.

Passengers who have to travel on buses get free travel, costing the government another $200,000 a day.

Some of V/Line’s VLocity fleet were taken off Melbourne CBD tracks. They are Victoria’s most modern trains.Source:News Corp Australia

The train pain has already cost the government $33 million in total.

The government is now preparing to part with more money, with V/Line facing months of replacing trains with buses because of the wheel wear, the total cost is expected to hit $45 million by March 18.

Contributing to the cost will be a $23 million axle counter installation program, which will be installed at 29 level crossings by July to ensure boom gates are triggered.

V/Line interim chief executive Gary Liddle told the parliamentary hearing they predicted an increase in wheel wear last year, due to a busier timetable and increased travel.

To deal with the demand, tracks were lubricated more regularly and new wheels were delivered to replace worn ones, but it just wasn’t enough to deal with the increase of travel.

Mr Liddle said funding for V/Line had been cut in recent years.

Victorian Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said the past Coalition government cut more than $70 million in funding to V/Line.

In light of the V/Line crisis, the government has ordered 21 new carriages and it was revealed the former government had not given V/Line any new carriages in two years.

“You can’t rip millions out of the regional operator and expect services to go unaffected,” she said.

However, The Australian reports the opposition refuted the claims and said an extra $40.7 million in franchise and state subsidy fees were given to V/Line between 2009/10 and 2013/14, a rise in almost 16 per cent.